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  • A Time to Make Ethical Decisions
    Dec 13, 2018
    A couple checks into a clinic and looks up a menu of options: blue eyes, fair skin, excellent hand-eye co-ordination, good runner, team player. They are opting for the “sportsman” package with a few cosmetic perks for their future child. Having made their choices, they walk away. A few weeks later, their desirable embryo is […]
  • Why Aren’t We Law-Abiding?
    Dec 5, 2018
    Kaushik Basu’s new book titled”Republic of Beliefs” uses game theory to explore why some laws are obeyed while others are flouted. No one doubts that air pollution is a big concern in the National Capital Region of Delhi. Every year, the situation deteriorates by the time Diwali arrives and the Delhi government comes up with […]
  • Takshashila Discussion Document: A Framework for Countering Mobilised Violence
    Dec 4, 2018
    and
    Mobilised violence is detrimental to the democratic fabric of India. It prevents individuals from enjoying their right to speak, move and conduct business freely. It can also cause injuries and loss of life to bystanders, in addition to significant economic costs from a cessation of economic activity and damage to property. In this report, ‘mobilised violence’ is defined as an act or series of acts of violence committed by a group with the intent of furthering a political purpose.
  • Chinese gene-edited baby row rekindles need for guidelines in India
    Dec 4, 2018
    The global scientific community has been outraged by a Chinese scientist He Jiankui’s claim of creating the world’s first genetically modified baby using the gene editing technique CRISPR-Cas9. The scientist claims that baby Lulu – who differs from previous recipients of gene therapies like Layla Richards1 – was born with a genetic modification and will pass it on […]
  • China and the Kerch Strait
    Dec 3, 2018
    The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine following Sunday’s incident in the Kerch Strait. According to the Ukrainian Navy, Russian forces fired upon its vessels, injuring at least three sailors. Russian forces then reportedly captured three Ukrainian vessels along with 23 crew members. Moscow […]
  • India will stay relevant in Afghanistan, Taliban or no Taliban
    Nov 22, 2018
    The way ahead for India rests on reconciling Indian interests with the recent changes in the political landscape, many of which are outside Indian control. The turning global tide against Pakistan’s policy of using terror gives India some breathing space. It should participate in political processes in order to add weight to the demands of India's friends in Afghanistan. Beyond this supplementary role, there is little that India has to gain from starting new peace processes. India's comparative advantage in Afghanistan comes from its contribution to state capacity building and economic development and for this reason alone it will continue to stay relevant in Afghanistan, Taliban or no Taliban.
  • How to Regulate Internet Platforms Without Breaking Them
    Nov 14, 2018
    Anticompetitive practices are quite common in the internet-enabled economy, and lawmakers have struggled to keep up.Authorities must find a balance between regulation and fostering an open, healthy environment for the platform economy to thrive.
  • The Xinjiang Playbook
    Oct 31, 2018
    Over the past few months, there has been a growing chorus of international criticism focussed on the Chinese government’s crackdown on Uygur Muslims in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. To blunt this outcry, the Communist Party has adopted a set of measures ranging from denial, obfuscation to opinion management.
  • The addictive nature of bad policies
    Oct 29, 2018
    Apart from being ineffective, prohibition also has massive unintended consequences. Prohibition pushes the market underground and actually increases the crime rate, leads to a loss in state revenue, loss in employment and livelihoods, increases corruption, and ultimately harms the very people it seeks to protect.
  • Takshashila Policy Advisory: Comments to the Draft Personal Data Protection Bill
    Oct 12, 2018
    and
    By Ajay Patri and Manasa Venkataraman Executive Summary This document contains recommendations and comments in response to the draft Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018 (Bill) released by the Committee of Experts under the Chairmanship of Justice B. N. Srikrishna (Justice Srikrishna Committee) in July 2018. At the outset, we welcome the release of the Bill […]
  • Empowerment and Fragility
    Oct 12, 2018
    Zeynep Tufecki’s book, Twitter and Tear Gas, is an insightful analysis of the impact of social media on protests and social movements in today’s radically networked societies.
  • China’s big plan for AI domination is dazzling the world, but it has dangers built in. Here’s what India needs to watch out for.
    Oct 11, 2018
    China has been one of the early movers in the AI space, and evaluating its approach to AI development can help identify important lessons and pitfalls that Indian policy makers and entrepreneurs must keep in mind.
  • In its sixth decade, R&AW needs to look at the world outside terrorism
    Oct 3, 2018
    In this, its sixth decade of existence, the task for the leadership is to look at a world outside terrorism and to take stock of new and emerging threats. Already, its counterparts in other parts of the world have begun looking at new frontiers.
  • Takshashila Working Paper: China’s Quest For AI Leadership: Prospects and Challenges
    Oct 1, 2018
    By Manoj Kewalramani Download the paper in PDF Executive Summary In 2017, the Chinese government unveiled a plan to develop the country into the world’s primary innovation centre for artificial intelligence (AI) by 2030. In doing so, it identified AI as a strategic industry, crucial for enhancing economic development, national security and governance. This report […]
  • What Explains the High Demand for Low Paying Government Jobs?
    Sep 26, 2018
    We are increasingly seeing the phenomenon where there are an enormous amount of applicants for a few government postings. The big obvious question here is regarding the inexplicably high demand for low paying government jobs by apparently overqualified job seekers.
  • Copping out on Privatisation
    Sep 21, 2018
    The recent bank merger between Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank, and Dena Bank is essentially a move of cowardice, and not the bold reformist step it is touted to be. The original plan (for reforming the banking sector) was to have just 6 public sector banks, and while Modi has reduced the number from 26 to 19, there’s still a far way to go. Further, the plan was not to achieve the reduction in numbers by merging all of the public sector banks into 6 mega banks that are still in government control, but to privatise them eventually.
  • Takshashila Discussion Document: The Doklam Imbroglio
    Sep 18, 2018
    and
    Executive Summary In 2017, the Doklam plateau became a flashpoint for the Asian powers, India and China. China’s tactics in Doklam are clear examples of its general “salami-slicing” strategy, a policy of gradual encroachment onto disputed territory where other claimants are forced to accede to a new status quo tilted in China’s favour. This Discussion […]
  • राज्यों की अपनी विदेश नीतियों का समय आ गया है
    Sep 15, 2018
    ऑस्ट्रेलिया की ‘An India Economic Strategy to 2035’ रिपोर्ट दर्शाती है कि भारत का आर्थिक भविष्य दिल्ली से दूर उसके राज्यों और शहरों द्वारा परिभाषित किया जाएगा | और एक समृद्ध भविष्य के लिए केंद्र और राज्य सरकार दोनों को विदेश संबंधो के साधन का भरपूर फायदा उठाना चाहिए | ऐसा करने के लिए कुछ मूलभूत सुधारों की ज़रुरत है |
  • The Fallout of US Tariffs
    Sep 11, 2018
    Tariffs and other protectionist measures from the US have injected bitterness into its relationship with many countries and India is no exception to this.
  • मिलिट्री-जिहादी कॉम्प्लेक्स: पाकिस्तान का दूसरा चेहरा
    Aug 30, 2018
    नवजोत सिंह सिद्धू की झप्पी ने बड़ा बवाल उठा दिया भारत में | तो इस बार की पुलियाबाज़ी पाकिस्तान के मिलिट्री-जिहादी कॉम्प्लेक्स पर | ऐसा क्यों कि भारत-पाकिस्तान के रिश्ते सुधारने की कोई कोशिश के शुरू होते ही आतंकवादी हमले उस प्रक्रिया को विफल कर देते हैं? हमारा दावा है कि इस प्रकरण को समझने के लिए हमें जानना होगा कि पाकिस्तान में एक नहीं दो हुकूमतें है ! एक तो है उनकी सिविलियन सरकार और दूसरा – मिलिट्री-जिहादी कॉम्प्लेक्स (MJC) | कौनसी बला है यह MJC और भारत को इसका सामना कैसे करना चाहिए, जाने इस अंक में |
  • Takshashila Blue Paper: Justice Srikrishna Committee Documents on Data Protection
    Aug 29, 2018
    and
    By Manasa Venkataraman and Ajay Patri The Takshashila Institution convened a Roundtable on 10 August 2018 to discuss issues arising from the documents released by the Justice Srikrishna Committee on 27 July 2018. These documents included the report titled A Free and Fair Digital Economy: Protecting Privacy, Empowering Indians and the draft Personal Data Protection Bill, […]
  • C is for Cyber
    Aug 23, 2018
    The book Listening In by Prof Susan Landau studies the clash between the individual’s need for privacy and the law enforcement agencies’ need for access to information. It traces the evolution of cyber security and is a must read for aspiring cyber security professionals and those interested in privacy debates and cyber wars.
  • Why study public policy
    Aug 14, 2018
    Public policy is pervasive and affects us all. Knowledge of public policy is vital in many careers today. This article is about the skills that students of public policy acquire and the options to study public policy in India.
  • A Brave New World Order
    Aug 9, 2018
    and
    Everyone from Henry Kissinger and Donald Trump to Solomon Lane in the new Mission Impossible movie cares about the the end of the old world order. What is a world order? How is it changing? Most importantly, what should India be doing about it? In Episode 56 of The Pragati Podcast, Pranay Kotasthane and Anirudh Kanisetti join hosts Pavan Srinath and Hamsini Hariharan to discuss India’s strategies for a new world order.
  • Takshashila Review Paper: Regulating Multi-Sided Platforms – Challenges in the Indian Context
    Aug 1, 2018
    By Anupam Manur Download the paper in PDF [620 KB] Executive Summary Multi-sided platforms possess unique characteristics that differentiate them from a normal market structure. The presence of direct and indirect network effects, high switching costs, price parity clauses, vertical integration, and differentiated pricing structures between the two sides of the platform are unique to […]
  • All That’s Not New in Naya Pakistan
    Jul 30, 2018
    Nothing has changed in Pakistan. Here are five areas in which Imran’s election will make no difference.
  • Takshashila Working Paper: A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Public Health Expenditure in India
    Jul 25, 2018
    , and
    By Pavan Srinath, Pranay Kotasthane, Devika Kher, Aashish Chhajer Download the paper in PDF [2 MB] Executive Summary Health policy is an essential pillar of human welfare. Given the high degree of externality, the State has to play a significant role in health and healthcare provision. Unfortunately, evidence shows that public spending on healthcare in […]
  • Takshashila Discussion Document: Deriving India’s Strategies for a New World Order
    Jul 9, 2018
    By Anirudh Kanisetti, Anupam Manur, and Pranay Kotasthane Download the Discussion Document in PDF [1.8 MB] Executive Summary “The New World Order” is a phrase often used but rarely understood. This discussion document proposes an analytical framework to decode what a New World Order means for India. The document presents a flexible action portfolio to […]
  • Trump’s gamble, China’s gain
    Jun 27, 2018
    US President Donald Trump's unilateralism in East Asia is increasingly benefiting China. Xi Jinping’s approach, in contrast is furthering the broader narrative of a China that is open to deeper multilateral engagement.
  • MoD has politicised security for electoral reasons. Opening of cantonment roads shows that
    Jun 27, 2018
    Cantonments may be colonial creations in their origins, but that does not mean that the military does not need exclusive spaces.

  • A Time to Make Ethical Decisions
    Dec 13, 2018
    A couple checks into a clinic and looks up a menu of options: blue eyes, fair skin, excellent hand-eye co-ordination, good runner, team player. They are opting for the “sportsman” package with a few cosmetic perks for their future child. Having made their choices, they walk away. A few weeks later, their desirable embryo is […]
  • Why Aren’t We Law-Abiding?
    Dec 5, 2018
    Kaushik Basu’s new book titled”Republic of Beliefs” uses game theory to explore why some laws are obeyed while others are flouted. No one doubts that air pollution is a big concern in the National Capital Region of Delhi. Every year, the situation deteriorates by the time Diwali arrives and the Delhi government comes up with […]
  • Chinese gene-edited baby row rekindles need for guidelines in India
    Dec 4, 2018
    The global scientific community has been outraged by a Chinese scientist He Jiankui’s claim of creating the world’s first genetically modified baby using the gene editing technique CRISPR-Cas9. The scientist claims that baby Lulu – who differs from previous recipients of gene therapies like Layla Richards1 – was born with a genetic modification and will pass it on […]
  • China and the Kerch Strait
    Dec 3, 2018
    The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine following Sunday’s incident in the Kerch Strait. According to the Ukrainian Navy, Russian forces fired upon its vessels, injuring at least three sailors. Russian forces then reportedly captured three Ukrainian vessels along with 23 crew members. Moscow […]
  • India will stay relevant in Afghanistan, Taliban or no Taliban
    Nov 22, 2018
    The way ahead for India rests on reconciling Indian interests with the recent changes in the political landscape, many of which are outside Indian control. The turning global tide against Pakistan’s policy of using terror gives India some breathing space. It should participate in political processes in order to add weight to the demands of India's friends in Afghanistan. Beyond this supplementary role, there is little that India has to gain from starting new peace processes. India's comparative advantage in Afghanistan comes from its contribution to state capacity building and economic development and for this reason alone it will continue to stay relevant in Afghanistan, Taliban or no Taliban.
  • How to Regulate Internet Platforms Without Breaking Them
    Nov 14, 2018
    Anticompetitive practices are quite common in the internet-enabled economy, and lawmakers have struggled to keep up.Authorities must find a balance between regulation and fostering an open, healthy environment for the platform economy to thrive.
  • The Xinjiang Playbook
    Oct 31, 2018
    Over the past few months, there has been a growing chorus of international criticism focussed on the Chinese government’s crackdown on Uygur Muslims in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. To blunt this outcry, the Communist Party has adopted a set of measures ranging from denial, obfuscation to opinion management.
  • The addictive nature of bad policies
    Oct 29, 2018
    Apart from being ineffective, prohibition also has massive unintended consequences. Prohibition pushes the market underground and actually increases the crime rate, leads to a loss in state revenue, loss in employment and livelihoods, increases corruption, and ultimately harms the very people it seeks to protect.
  • Empowerment and Fragility
    Oct 12, 2018
    Zeynep Tufecki’s book, Twitter and Tear Gas, is an insightful analysis of the impact of social media on protests and social movements in today’s radically networked societies.
  • China’s big plan for AI domination is dazzling the world, but it has dangers built in. Here’s what India needs to watch out for.
    Oct 11, 2018
    China has been one of the early movers in the AI space, and evaluating its approach to AI development can help identify important lessons and pitfalls that Indian policy makers and entrepreneurs must keep in mind.
  • In its sixth decade, R&AW needs to look at the world outside terrorism
    Oct 3, 2018
    In this, its sixth decade of existence, the task for the leadership is to look at a world outside terrorism and to take stock of new and emerging threats. Already, its counterparts in other parts of the world have begun looking at new frontiers.
  • What Explains the High Demand for Low Paying Government Jobs?
    Sep 26, 2018
    We are increasingly seeing the phenomenon where there are an enormous amount of applicants for a few government postings. The big obvious question here is regarding the inexplicably high demand for low paying government jobs by apparently overqualified job seekers.
  • Copping out on Privatisation
    Sep 21, 2018
    The recent bank merger between Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank, and Dena Bank is essentially a move of cowardice, and not the bold reformist step it is touted to be. The original plan (for reforming the banking sector) was to have just 6 public sector banks, and while Modi has reduced the number from 26 to 19, there’s still a far way to go. Further, the plan was not to achieve the reduction in numbers by merging all of the public sector banks into 6 mega banks that are still in government control, but to privatise them eventually.
  • राज्यों की अपनी विदेश नीतियों का समय आ गया है
    Sep 15, 2018
    ऑस्ट्रेलिया की ‘An India Economic Strategy to 2035’ रिपोर्ट दर्शाती है कि भारत का आर्थिक भविष्य दिल्ली से दूर उसके राज्यों और शहरों द्वारा परिभाषित किया जाएगा | और एक समृद्ध भविष्य के लिए केंद्र और राज्य सरकार दोनों को विदेश संबंधो के साधन का भरपूर फायदा उठाना चाहिए | ऐसा करने के लिए कुछ मूलभूत सुधारों की ज़रुरत है |
  • The Fallout of US Tariffs
    Sep 11, 2018
    Tariffs and other protectionist measures from the US have injected bitterness into its relationship with many countries and India is no exception to this.
  • मिलिट्री-जिहादी कॉम्प्लेक्स: पाकिस्तान का दूसरा चेहरा
    Aug 30, 2018
    नवजोत सिंह सिद्धू की झप्पी ने बड़ा बवाल उठा दिया भारत में | तो इस बार की पुलियाबाज़ी पाकिस्तान के मिलिट्री-जिहादी कॉम्प्लेक्स पर | ऐसा क्यों कि भारत-पाकिस्तान के रिश्ते सुधारने की कोई कोशिश के शुरू होते ही आतंकवादी हमले उस प्रक्रिया को विफल कर देते हैं? हमारा दावा है कि इस प्रकरण को समझने के लिए हमें जानना होगा कि पाकिस्तान में एक नहीं दो हुकूमतें है ! एक तो है उनकी सिविलियन सरकार और दूसरा – मिलिट्री-जिहादी कॉम्प्लेक्स (MJC) | कौनसी बला है यह MJC और भारत को इसका सामना कैसे करना चाहिए, जाने इस अंक में |
  • C is for Cyber
    Aug 23, 2018
    The book Listening In by Prof Susan Landau studies the clash between the individual’s need for privacy and the law enforcement agencies’ need for access to information. It traces the evolution of cyber security and is a must read for aspiring cyber security professionals and those interested in privacy debates and cyber wars.
  • Why study public policy
    Aug 14, 2018
    Public policy is pervasive and affects us all. Knowledge of public policy is vital in many careers today. This article is about the skills that students of public policy acquire and the options to study public policy in India.
  • A Brave New World Order
    Aug 9, 2018
    and
    Everyone from Henry Kissinger and Donald Trump to Solomon Lane in the new Mission Impossible movie cares about the the end of the old world order. What is a world order? How is it changing? Most importantly, what should India be doing about it? In Episode 56 of The Pragati Podcast, Pranay Kotasthane and Anirudh Kanisetti join hosts Pavan Srinath and Hamsini Hariharan to discuss India’s strategies for a new world order.
  • All That’s Not New in Naya Pakistan
    Jul 30, 2018
    Nothing has changed in Pakistan. Here are five areas in which Imran’s election will make no difference.
  • Trump’s gamble, China’s gain
    Jun 27, 2018
    US President Donald Trump's unilateralism in East Asia is increasingly benefiting China. Xi Jinping’s approach, in contrast is furthering the broader narrative of a China that is open to deeper multilateral engagement.
  • MoD has politicised security for electoral reasons. Opening of cantonment roads shows that
    Jun 27, 2018
    Cantonments may be colonial creations in their origins, but that does not mean that the military does not need exclusive spaces.
  • 20 Million Jobs
    Jun 21, 2018
    India needs to be creating around 20 million jobs year on year for the next decade or more. However, we are barely managing to create around 2 million jobs. This deficit has serious implications for the Indian economy and society.
  • The Long Game in the South China Sea
    May 28, 2018
    Expanded security infrastructure and repeated displays of might are now primarily about presenting a psychological fait accompli to China’s neighbours and the US. This is Beijing’s long game. The aim is to expand capacities and project power in order to emerge as the preeminent power controlling the area.
  • Get Criminals Out Of Politics
    May 11, 2018
    To break the nexus of crime and politics in India, we should not wait until the conviction of accused candidates. Once criminal charges are framed against candidates, they should be debarred from contesting elections.
  • Breaking down China’s AI ambitions
    Apr 17, 2018
    The Social Credit System is about much more than surveillance and loyalty, as popularly understood. Nudging persons to adopt desirable behaviour and enhancing social control are part of the story. But there are larger drivers of this policy. It is fundamentally linked to the Chinese economy and its transformation to being more market driven.
  • Unpacking China’s Social Credit System
    Apr 17, 2018
    The Social Credit System is about much more than surveillance and loyalty, as popularly understood. Nudging persons to adopt desirable behaviour and enhancing social control are part of the story. But there are larger drivers of this policy. It is fundamentally linked to the Chinese economy and its transformation to being more market driven.
  • China’s Flawed Model for Peace
    Apr 3, 2018
    Xi Jinping has promised to provide “Chinese solutions” to world problems. But China strategy for managing conflict has serious flaws, as it looks at conflict largely from an economic prism, glossing over deep-seated ethnic, religious and linguistic fissures, along with stakeholder grievances over lack of participation in governance.
  • No, The World Isn’t Heading Towards a Cold War
    Mar 27, 2018
    The United States’ listing of China as a “competitor,” “rival” and “revisionist power” in its National Security Strategy has led many to postulate the beginning of a new Cold War. Unfortunately, that construct is neither sufficient nor instructive in understanding the changes that are afoot in the international order.
  • Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a Match
    Mar 27, 2018
    This article is a book review of the fascinating book Who Gets What and Why, by Nobel laureate Alvin Roth. Roth studies the design of matching markets and identifies the four pillars for an efficient design using examples of markets such as the university and school admissions and kidney donations.

  • Between the Buyer and the Seller
    Aug 25, 2017
    Between the Buyer and the Seller By Karthik Shashidhar Edited by Ganesh Chakravarthi Perfect Paperback: 279 pages Publisher: Takshashila Institution (2017) Language: English ISBN-10: 8193197690 ISBN-13: 978-8193197691 Order now About the book Why is it difficult to find Feta Cheese in Bangalore, or mango pickles in Barcelona? Why are tourists encouraged to bargain? Why do startup platforms provide heavy incentives […]
  • Book: Distance from Delhi—Essays on Geopolitics, Economics and Public Policy
    Dec 15, 2015
    Distance from Delhi: Essays on Geopolitics, Economics and Public Policy by Anupam Manur, Devika Kher, Karthik Shashidhar, Madhav Chandavarkar, Pavan Srinath, Pranay Kotasthane, Priya Ravichandran, Sarah Farooqui, Rohan Joshi, Varun Ramachandra and Saurabh Chandra Edited by Sarah Farooqui Takshashila Institution Press 2015 ISBN: 978-8193197646 Rs. 295 About the book: India is not New Delhi and New Delhi is not India, though sometimes this gets […]
  • Book: A Visible Hand
    Dec 15, 2015
    A Visible Hand by Narayan Ramachandran Edited by Anupam Manur Takshashila Institution Press 2015 ISBN: 978-8193197608 Rs. 295 About the book: A Visible Hand is a collection of essays from Narayan Ramachandran on the intersection of Economics, Politics, and Society. They offer a fresh perspective and original take on many aspects of emerging India – from the political […]
  • Book: The Economics of Derivatives
    Mar 3, 2015
    The Economics of Derivatives by TV Somanathan and V Anantha Nageswaran Cambridge University Press 2015 ISBN: 9781107091504 Rs. 590 | $85.50 About the book: While most books on derivatives discuss how they work, this book looks at the contributions of derivatives to overall economic well-being. It examines both the beneficial and adverse effects of derivatives trading […]

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